Government has decided to convert all the existing and new power plants on the specification of Thar coal versus earlier plan of converting these on imported coal.
In a decision, government has decided a coal off-take agreement would be signed between Generation Company (GENCO) and Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC).
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By Iqbal Sheikh
Seldom, if ever, employers and employees (malik aur mazdoor) agree on anything. They have come together in the face of massive load shedding in having a common nemesis – the local Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). This mutual suffering and sorrow has brought them together away from their history of creative antagonism, at least for now. Losing a job in a power loom shed in Faisalabad is just the beginning of a powered slide into hell.
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By Iqbal Sheikh
The Planning Commission now reckons that load shedding cannot be eliminated in the next decade or so. When we look around and inside the pipeline, we see the reason for this despondency. The mood on the street and the corridors of power is not entirely unjustified. Besides the power sector seems to be in a race to the bottom with the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as to who has higher cash, taxpayers and burn rate.
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‘Energy crisis has slashed GDP growth by 2-3%’
* ARL CEO emphasises urgent need for accelerating efforts for development of indigenous, cheaper energy resources
By Ijaz Kakakhel (Daily Times report)
Pakistan is faced with crippling energy crisis, which has resulted in slashing gross domestic product (GDP) growth by 2.0 to 3.0 percent.
This was stated by Attock Gen Limited (AGL) and Attock Refinery Limited Chief Executive Officer Adil Khattak during the first Coal Fuelled Power Generation Conference 2012. The conference was organised by AGL on Wednesday.
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By Hanif Khalid (The News Report)
The nation is likely to hear a historic good news before June next year. Pakistani will start getting electricity from Thar Coal for the first time in the history by the end of the current financial year 2012-2013, disclosed Dr Shabbir, the Managing Director of Planning Division’s Thar Coal Power Project, while talking to this correspondent.
This electricity will be generated by using gas produced by Underground Coal Gasification (UCG), MD further stated.
For this revolution, the remaining amount of Rs900 million must be released by the Government of Pakistan in the beginning of second quarter of fiscal year 2012-2013. Ministry of Finance has released the first installment of Rs900 million on 27th August, 2012. This amount was allocated for the financial year 2011-2012. Due to the stubborn attitude of former Federal Secretary Planning, the amount of Rs900 million could not be released till the end of last financial year. Continue reading »
Up to 14,000MW being produced despite peek demand of 18,000MW
Planning Commission’s member for energy terms shortfall a crisis of management
ISLAMABAD: India may claim the world’s biggest blackout, but in neighbouring Pakistan an endemic energy crisis blamed on years of mismanagement cripples the economy and makes millions of lives a daily misery.
Six weeks after the new prime minister in Islamabad promised the shortage would be his top priority, blackouts have reached a peak – reportedly up to 16 hours a day in urban areas and as much as 22 hours a day in the rural areas.
But with political posturing becoming more acute as the weak coalition stutters towards general elections, there is no quick end in sight. Continue reading »
By Noor Aftab (THE NEWS)
A Khairpur-based mechanical engineer has made such a unique claim that is apparently too hard to ‘digest’ but he is confident that a device recently developed by him can help use water as a fuel to run motor vehicles.
Mechanical Engineer Agha Waqar Ahmad Khan was quite confident when he appeared before senior officer of Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) and senior engineers for demonstration of his claim. Continue reading »
Due to indifferent attitude of the incumbent government towards its basic responsibilities, people in Pakistan are suffering from energy crisis, which is proving to be unbearable.
Power crisis is also affecting. Lopsided priorities, poor management and lack of accountability can be denoted as the reasons for dearth of energy in Pakistan. The sad state of affairs is that despite having enormous renewable resources of energy, country is forced to import a huge amount of hydrocarbons from abroad to meet its energy needs. As recently as 2001, the country had 4,000 megawatts of excess power capacity, but today unfortunately the situation has gained threatening prospects. Continue reading »
NA body takes notice of extraordinary cost estimates
* Committee members asks when one solar tube well available at Rs 1.5m, why is Planning Commission estimating Rs 3m
By Sajid Chaudhry (Daily Times)
The National Assembly’s (NA) Standing Committee on Textile Industry was shocked to know the exorbitant price estimates of up to Rs 3 million each as estimated by the Planning Commission for installation of one solar tube well in the country.
The members of the committee challenged these estimates and were of the view that when this technology is available in the market at Rs 1.5 million as maximum price, then why the Planning Commission has fixed these estimates so high. Continue reading »
* India offered to provide 500MW electricity at Rs 16 per kilowatt, which is expensive by Rs 10 if generated locally
Daily Times report by Zeeshan Javaid
The Indian authorities offered the Pakistani government to import 500 megawatts (MW) electricity from Amritsar to Lahore at the rate of Rs 16 per kilowatt during the recently held neighbourly meetings, while hydel power electricity can be generated locally at the rate of Rs 6 per kilowatt, showing a difference of Rs 10 per kilowatt.
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Thar coal project will become operational in December 2013, member of the Science and Technology Planning Commission, Dr Samar Mubarakmand, said on Thursday. Talking to a private news channel, he said that the project would bring prosperity in the country. “Pakistan has enough coal reserves that can provide electricity to the country for more than 500 years,” he said.
He said that development work is in progress and the first 50 megawatts (MW) gasified project has almost been completed. He said that the project is to cost Rs8.898 billion with a foreign exchange component of Rs 5.847 billion that was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council last year. Dr Mubarakmand said that the success of the Thar coal project would lead to investment from leading international companies. Continue reading »
Thermal power costs 5 times of hydroelectric
During the last eight years hydropower cost remained at Rs 1.08 per unit compared to the thermal generation’s cost of Rs 5.36 per unit, therefore Pakistan needs to focus on hydropower generation to resolve its longstanding power shortfall issue.
Statistics available on the occasion of eight-year completion of 1450 Megawatts (MW) Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project (GBHP), reveals that the project contributed about 53 billion units of electricity to the national grid, registering revenues of Rs 226.5 billion to the national exchequer. Continue reading »
Associated Press of Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Thar coal project will be operational from December 2013 which will bring prosperity in the country, said Dr Samar Mubarakmand member Science and Technology Planning Commission on Thursday. Talking to a private news channel, he said Pakistan had enough coal reservoirs that could provide electricity to country for more than 500 years. He said work on the projects was in progress and the first 50 megawatts (MW) gasified project has almost been completed. The project will cost Rs 8.898 billion, with a foreign exchange component of Rs 5.847 billion and has been approved by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council last year. “Finance minister had accepted the demand of Rs 900 million for machinery and equipment keeping in view project’s importance and financial viability,” he added. Dr Mubarakmand assured success of the Thar coal project would encourage global investment by leading international companies dealing with development of underground coal. He said several foreign companies want to participate in the project and have shown their interest in investing the project along with providing their expertise. “These companies are just waiting for the results of maiden 50 MW pilot project—and if the pilot project remains successful, a barrage of investment would automatically pour in the country,” he added.
The biggest threat to our economic security today is the non-availability of reliable and continuous power supply. We are fortunate enough to be blessed with unlimited sunshine that can easily meet the national energy needs. Solar energy, being reliable and affordable, will not only help in easing the power crisis but also diversify the energy portfolio by including more in-state resources Continue reading »
Breaking new ground in the field of energy, a Pakistani has made an engine that runs on kinetic energy, Khawar, a physicist, told while addressing a press conference on Saturday.
Shedding light on kinetic energy, Khawar said there are always two types of known motions, rotation and straight-line motion.
“Motion is an event happening while changing a specific mechanical wheel’s displacement into rotation,” he added. Continue reading »